1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the transfer of fluids, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for transferring fluids and lubricants from commonly supplied plastic containers to various fluid and lubricant ports and reservoirs.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A host of lubricants and fluids are commonly marketed in plastic containers. A common method of transferring these fluids and lubricants is to insert any of a number of different known funnels into the designated port connected to the fluid reservoir of interest and simply opening the container and pouring the fluid into the funnel. This gravity driven method requires the fluid to be supplied from a position above the reservoir opening or ultimately requires an operator to move a funnel connected to a tube higher than the reservoir opening. The gravity driven prior art method requires the operator to dispense a portion of the fluid, reposition the fluid container in order to determine the volume of fluid dispensed, and reposition the fluid container over the funnel or the fluid reservoir repetitively, until the desired fluid volume has been transferred. The method is not drip free and exposes the fluid to possible contamination from debris that might fall into the funnel or into the spout of the fluid container. Not only is the fluid exposed to possible contaminants, but funnels that are not cleaned after an initial fluid transfer are known to retain contaminants if the residual fluid is allowed to remain on the various surfaces of the funnel. If the funnel is not thoroughly cleaned prior to its next use, the operator runs the risk of contaminating the fluid. The presence of increased contaminants in engine and other mechanical lubricants has long been known to decrease part life by increasing wear on parts with tight tolerances. In addition, many reservoir openings are located in tight positions within engine compartments where it is impossible to insert a funnel of adequate proportion to enable a transfer of an appropriate fluid.
Accordingly, there is a need and desire for an apparatus that will allow for the drip free transfer of fluids from a host of positions, including those positions below the reservoir opening that provides for the precise volumetric measurement of the fluid transferred to both readily accessible and heretofore relatively inaccessible reservoir ports and eliminates the need to clean a funnel to reduce the introduction of contaminants upon subsequent uses.
Certain objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned with the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out.
To achieve the advantages and novel features, the present invention is generally directed to an apparatus configured to universally adapt to plastic containers commonly used to market engine and or motor lubricants and other fluids. The apparatus consists of a tube and a threaded cap configured to seal a flexible (i.e., squeezable) commercial fluid container.
The cap has a bore through its upper wall shaped for closely receiving the tube. The cap is further configured with a thread arrangement appropriate to match and seal the spout of a commercial fluid container.
The cap of the present invention may be manufactured from HDPE or other plastics commonly used in containers used in the commercial distribution of fluids and lubricants. The cap may be configured with a rigid annular extension aligned with the bore whereby the height of the space through both the upper wall and the region enclosed by the rigid annular extension is greater than the thickness of the upper wall of the cap. The rigid annular extension and the interior surface of the upper wall of the cap formed by the bore substantially align the longitudinal axis of the tube such that it is in a plane perpendicular to the upper wall of the cap.
The cap may also be configured with an annular ridge disposed on the lower surface of the upper wall of the cap. The annular ridge, together with the interior surfaces of the cap form a channel for the spout of the commercial container. The channel works together with the threads of the cap to seal the cap to the spout of the commercial container.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the cap may be further configured to accept one or more washers or other sealing devices (e.g., o-rings) in the upper wall of the cap within the cap channel, on the surface of the annular ridge extending from the interior of the upper wall of the cap, and/or on the interior surface of the rigid annular extension. The one or more sealing devices may further seal the cap to the tube and the cap to the commercial container. In a preferred embodiment, the cap is not supplied with sealing devices as typical washer, gasket and o-ring materials often breakdown when introduced to the various chemical additives that may be present in commercially available fluids.
In a preferred embodiment, the cap contains two or more diametrically opposed tabs extending from the outer surface of the cap, as well as, a plurality of easy grip ridges disposed on the outer surface of the cap. The tabs and ridges increase the surface area of the cap thereby enabling an operator to apply the force necessary to seal the cap to the commercial fluid container as previously described.
Having described the cap of the fluid transfer apparatus of the present invention, reference is now made to the tube of the fluid transfer apparatus. The tube has a flared end for placement within the commercial fluid container and a distal end for placement in or near a fluid reservoir to enable the operator to manipulate the tube in relationship to the cap such that the flared end of the tube is placed at any desired depth within the fluid of the container. The flared end of the tube enables nearly all of the fluid from the commercial container to be transferred from the container through the apparatus by simply applying pressure to the external walls of the fluid container.
As pressure is applied to the container, the fluid therein is expelled through the tube. Subsequently, when pressure is released from the container, a vacuum is maintained by a seal formed between the tube and the cap, as well as, a seal between the cap and the commercial container whereby residual fluid in the tube is drawn back into the container. The flared end also serves to prevent the removal of the tube from the commercial container. The distal end of the tube can be shaped to interface with specific reservoir openings from specific orientations or may be extended by adding a flexible tube or tubes of desired length to enable the transfer of fluids to reservoir openings.
The apparatus of the present invention can be used in a drip and contaminant free method of dispensing engine oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid, as well as, a multitude of other fluids. Most importantly, the apparatus can be used to dispense fluids in automobiles, motorcycles, boats, trucks, lawnmowers, recreational vehicles, power tools, and any of a multitude of mechanical applications where access to fluid ports ranges from easy to difficult. The apparatus of the present invention allows an operator to properly and easily apply fluids to locations within confined areas.
In accordance with the method of the present invention, the operator removes the cap from the commercially supplied fluid container and replaces the original cap with the cap and tube of the fluid transfer apparatus. After a sufficient amount of torque is applied to the cap of the fluid transfer apparatus, a leak proof seal is formed between the commercial container and the cap and tube of the present invention. The operator configures the apparatus for dispensing fluid by pushing the tube into the container such that the flared end of the tubing is immersed within the fluid in the container and placing the distal end of the tube in the reservoir opening of the reservoir to be filled.
After the operator has added the cap and the tube of the present invention to the commercial container as described above, fluid can be transferred in either of two ways. Using a first preferred method, the operator transfers fluid from the container to the reservoir by applying pressure to the external walls of the container. The operator can control the rate of fluid transfer by simply increasing or decreasing the amount of pressure applied to the external walls of the container. This can be accomplished by simply squeezing the container when the operator desires to transfer fluid. Using the alternative method, the operator can transfer fluid using the fluid transfer apparatus of the present invention by simply tilting the container and pouring the fluid through the tube into the desired reservoir. It is significant to note that the tube of the fluid transfer apparatus is operator adjustable with regard to its relative position with the cap. The combination of an operator adjustable fluid xe2x80x9cdeliveryxe2x80x9d tube with a leak proof seal permits an operator to place the apparatus in various orientations to deliver fluid at fluid reservoir ports in difficult to access locations.
If the container is held in an upright position at eye level, the operator can observe the volume of fluid transferred by noting the fluid level on the volumetric scale typically provided on the side of the container as fluid is transferred from the commercial container to the desired fluid reservoir. The fluid transfer apparatus of the present invention also provides the operator with greater control of the volume of fluid transferred to the reservoir as the operator directly supplies the pressure on the commercial container.
After the fluid transfer is complete, the operator can remove the fluid from the external surface of the tube by simply pulling the tube until the flared end contacts the inner surface of the upper wall of the cap. Fluid is wiped off the external surface of the tube because of the close configuration of the cap against the external surface of the tube. Since the apparatus is self contained, the operator can ensure contaminant free future transfers of fluid from the same container by simply plugging or capping the distal end of the tube and or leaving the cap of the present invention tightly sealed against the spout of the commercial container until further fluids are desired to be transferred.
Therefore, what is provided is an improved apparatus and method for transferring fluids that enables drip free fluid transfer from a location above or below the opening of the reservoir, that provides for the precise volumetric measurement of the fluid transferred while removing the necessary step of cleaning the surfaces of a standard funnel in order to provide for contaminant free present and future fluid transfers.